The Famine Early Warning System (FEWS) has reported that in 22 of Afghanistan’s provinces, cumulative rain and snowfall during the ‘wet season’ – October 2017 to May 2018 – was 30 to 60 per cent below average. The northwest of the country has been particularly hard hit. AAN’s Jelena Bjelica (with input from Obaid Ali and Kate Clark) reports on drought and displacement there and looks at the underlying problems – climate change and government neglect.

A fast-changing climate, conflict, inequality, persistent pockets of poverty and hunger and rapid urbanization are challenging countries’ efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to a UN report launched in New York today.

The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2018 found that conflict and climate change were major contributing factors leading to growing numbers of people facing hunger and forced displacement, as well as curtailing progress towards universal access to basic water and sanitation services.

"Conscious of their responsibility before God and man, inspired by the determination to promote world peace as an equal partner in a united Europe … Basic Constitutional Law for the Federal Republic of Germany

Inside this newsletter, you will find five original articles from the Bangkok Regional Hub, featuring the work of country office work-flows in Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cambodia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Viet Nam, and the Solomon Islands, highlighting the ways in which UNDP programmes in the region cross-cut gender equality mainstreaming efforts, or ensure women's empowerment to accelerate sustainable development.

In a village in Nyamagabe, Rwanda, the community have built a water pond that serves a communal garden now benefitting twenty five families.

While Rwanda benefits from two rainy seasons, because of its location in the equatorial region, climate change has had a big impact. Rainfall has become more erratic and the rainy seasons are shorter. Water harvesting schemes like these help maximise the use of the water that is available.

Government and Host Community Response to the Influx of Rohingya Refugees
- The Government of Bangladesh responded quickly upon the arrival of the 687,000 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar since August 2017, including allocating 5,800 acres of land.
- The host communities of Cox’s Bazar, and the District administration have made a significant and ongoing contribution to the life saving response for refugees under leadership of the National Government and with UN support.

Real world examples of technology and innovation being deployed to build a more resilient Africa in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development were presented to the Economic and Social Council today as it concluded its annual three‑day integration segment.

2 May 2018, Rome - Soil pollution poses a worrisome threat to agricultural productivity, food safety, and human health, but far too little is known about the scale and severity of that threat, warns a new FAO report released today at the start of a global symposium.

Amidst political tensions, an estimated 10.3 million people across DPRK continue to suffer from food insecurity and undernutrition, as well as a lack of access to basic services. Recurrent natural hazards – particularly extended droughts punctuated by near-annual floods – exacerbate and create new humanitarian needs. As a result, people have crucial and unmet food, nutrition, health, water, sanitation and hygiene needs